Forum:2006-01-31. Reviewed--"Downtown As Fruits", by Lord Malachite
Lord_Malachite, 31/01/2006 12:30 AM :IÆve decided to do something that I havenÆt done in a very long time. Reviews! IÆm getting things started by reviewing the very first episode in depth. IÆm actually watching this thing a little bit at a time and then typing out my observations, so these reviews will be a lot more than just a glorified summary. YouÆll also see me grade each episode based on the strength of the plot, how much the episode makes us care about the characters, and a tilt value thrown in which reflects my own personal bias. You may feel free to disregard the tilt value if you like. The overall score is listed at the bottom. IÆll include the score without my tilt in parentheses after it. Obviously, this is a new thing for me, but IÆm really hoping that this will generate some buzz and excitement. Let me know what you guys and gals think! Without further ado, letÆs get this party started! ôDowntown As Fruitsö Written by Craig Bartlett, Joe Ansolabehere, and Steve Viksten Directed by Tuck Tucker and Larry Leichliter Okay. Technically, we all know that Arnold originally hails from the Penny shorts, the comics in Simpsons Illustrated, and the original theatrical short that was later remade into the episode ô24 Hours To Live,ö but for all intents and purposes as far as the show is concerned this episode is ArnoldÆs premiere as a TV series. IÆd rather talk about the show than debate the finer points of ArnoldÆs origins, so please, letÆs just agree that this is the first production episode and thus the beginning of the show. That said, we havenÆt even gotten past the first seen without an homage. Arnold is daydreaming about surfing, a definite trait that carries over from the aforementioned Simpsons Illustrated comics. And heÆs snapped out of his reverie by an overbearing Helga, who is readily established as something of an antagonist. But despite her demeanor, one has to give her creditùeven know sheÆs showing signs of artistry, concerned about the depth of the production and stirring the audience. Another observation we can instantly make about Helga is that sheÆs two-faced. Notice how she can talk in a sweet, feminine voice when it suits her, as she does while mocking Harold. Lastly, youÆll notice that her movements are very exaggerated. The show was much cartoonier in these days, and Helga probably got the brunt of that as she has always been the most extreme character. SheÆs literally stretched quite a bit as she paces the stage. ItÆs also worth mentioning that when Helga threatens the gang with OlÆ Betsy, Arnold looks anything but intimidated. Of course, in these days, the relationship between Arnold and Helga was much more obtuse. Arnold didnÆt do much acknowledgement of Helga, it just wasnÆt worth his time. In later seasons, he would often be trying to help her, like he does to everyone else. But thatÆs another story for another time. Monkeyman runs past the Sunset Arms that night as we change scenes. Not a major development, but hey, itÆs Monkeyman! Man, when you sit and analyze this thing, you suddenly realize how many staples of the show turned up right here in the first episode. Arnold exits the boarding house and a train of pets emerge. He is dressed in a banana costume and he meets Gerald, who is a strawberry. IÆd be hard pressed to pick which costume is more embarrassing. Both Arnold and Gerald bemoan how they are fruits. ThereÆs a much more negative connotation to that statement, but for the sake of political correctness, letÆs just take them literally, shall we? On the bus, Arnold and Gerald are feeling humiliated. I canÆt say as I blame them. Arnold quips about how he canÆt believe that theyÆre doing this for Helga. He says it in a very negative toneùitÆs pretty rare when Arnold states that he doesnÆt like Helga, even if she isnÆt his favorite person in the world. But as weÆve established, this is a very different Arnold we start out with. Speaking of Helga, why do they have to do this play for her? What kind of school allows a fourth grader to direct a play without adult supervision? Is Miss Slovak too busy? Maybe itÆs another budget cut. Arnold goes through a bit of a morality struggle and actually gives into his inner devil! Apparently his fear of humiliation and dislike of Helga outweigh his desire to do the right thing. Enjoy that victory, Arnold. You wonÆt have many of them. We cut back to Helga and some more of her grandstanding. Her pigtails have gotten longer. Then again, sheÆs traipsing around in an oversized milk carton, so itÆs doubtful anyone noticed. We get introduced to the legacy of Peapod Kid, who will be stuck with that moniker for the duration of the series. I had to pause the episode when Helga declares that the meats are ôlusty and powerful.ö Lusty is an awfully risqué word for a nine year old, and IÆm pretty surprised that Nickelodeon even let it into the script, but itÆs there. I really donÆt want to know what Helga feels is so ôlustyö about meat. After Helga realizes that the fruits (thereÆs the connotation again) are missing, she screams ArnoldÆs names to the heavens, and Arnold is apparently able to hear her from across town. This is another great gag that gets used more than once, but for some reason it was retired after ôHelga Blabs It All.ö Kind of a shame, as I always got a kick out of it. We quickly learn a primary lesson of this episodeùdonÆt take advice from hippie movies. Arnold and Gerald end up stranded at the end of the bus line. Downtown, as fruits. IÆll forever wonder why they couldnÆt just change into their outfits after getting to the school, but itÆs kind of a moot point now. As the gravity of their situation begins to sink in, some suspicious characters drive by and throw them a bag full of money. ôWow! People downtown sure are friendly!ö Arnold remarks, and for some reason, thatÆs always been one of my favorite lines from the episode. As the boys move off, some even shadier characters in identical costumes show up, thus setting up a sub-plot. Arnold and Gerald immediately proceed to have a good time, hitting a 24 hour clothing shop and changing into some cool outfits. They deposit their fruit costumes into a dumpster and grab some dinner from a Slovaki stand. Back at the play, Helga is having problems keeping things together with the fruits missing. She motions for Eugene and Harold to stretch out their routine, which quickly evolves into a disaster. Helga states that she prepared for her role by eating nothing but dairy products for two weeks. I for one would consider that to be a fine case of suffering for her art, as sheÆs gotta be pretty well constipated by now. Maybe thatÆs why sheÆs so cranky. And if so, does she ever get over it? Miriam reminds Helga to take her constipation medicine in ôSchool Play,ö but I digress. Helga then goes on to muse about how much she truly loves Arnold, and hates him, and loves him, etc. ItÆs easy to see why she hates him, since heÆs mucking up her play. But weÆre left with no real reason why she loves him. Apparently, she just does. This is an issue that isnÆt addressed until much, much later in the series, which seems a bit odd, considering itÆs the most consistent and frequently used plot. Another staple shows up as Brainy is seen to be eavesdropping behind Helga, and she socks him. I wonder how Brainy got out of having to wear a costume? Downtown, Arnold and Gerald are dancing on a pool table at ErnieÆs Pool Hall. We can only assume itÆs not to be confused with Ernie Potts, who lives in the Sunset Arms. Arnold then climbs on GeraldÆs shoulders and executes a brilliant trick shot, winning a pool match. He orders sodas for everyone in the place and instructs someone named ôFatmanö to rack another table. Meanwhile, the shifty looking guys in fruit costumes we saw earlier are wondering why their partner never showed up for the hand-off. Their partner says he gave the money to another banana. After providing a physical description, they all immediately point to Arnold, and he and Gerald run out the door. They duck into an alley and hide inside of Zamboni Jones Psychic Palace. The Great Zamboni tells them that there is a disturbance in their karmic energies because they have wronged someone. Gerald sets to thinking, and weÆre shown an image of Helga crying and hitting herself in the head with a stage light. I sincerely hope this is only a dramatization, because the subject matter of her play isnÆt worth beating herself up over. SheÆll say and do plenty of other things worth beating herself up over in later episodes, anyway. Gerald clears the image and says he canÆt think of anyone heÆs wronged. Arnold has a change of heart and realizes that they made a commitment to HelgaÆs play and have to do it. They run off without paying the fortune teller, which teaches us another lessonùalways get payment in advance! Arnold holds out an absurdly ridiculous wad of cash and hails a taxi, which takes them to the dumpster to pickup their costumes. We can see that the criminals have been busted by the cops. Crime doesnÆt pay, another lesson learned. They pass a stranded family trying to fix a flat tire. Arnold has the driver stop and he gives them a bunch of money. What goes around, comes around. They change back into their costumes and take the freeway all the way to P.S. 118, jumping out. Arnold throws the rest of the money to the cab driver and they run inside. There is a sign that reads ôHelga PatakiÆs The Four Food Groups The Musical.ö ItÆs only the first episode and weÆve just learned HelgaÆs last name. We never do learn ArnoldÆs. The title of the play needs some serious work, but as we pan inside, this seems to be the least of HelgaÆs problems. Helga is sobbing about how her play is ruined and that her future as a playwright is over. Maybe itÆs a good thing, we all know her real talent lies in poetry, anyway. HelgaÆs tears produce tears from Phoebe as well. ThatÆs pretty pathetic. Phoebe was always HelgaÆs best friend and somewhat of a lackey, but she is still usually her own person. Phoebe doesnÆt even speak in this episode, though. IÆll cut her some slack on the count of itÆs the first episode. PhoebeÆs tears seem to invoke something in Helga, she snaps out of her reverie and steps out onto the stage with grim determination. Just as Helga announces to an increasingly violent audience that there will be no fourth act because ôsome food groups arenÆt as dedicated as others,ö Arnold and Gerald slide onto the stage, literally bouncing Helga off. She flies in an arc and lands somewhere offstage. TheyÆre a big hit! They bring the play to a rousing finale. Helga is incensed, but as she sees the audience raving in approval, she looks at Arnold lovingly and it seems sheÆs forgotten what he put her through this evening. Brainy lowers the curtain and Helga gets a bouquet of flowers in her face. Finis. Concept & Execution: This is the first episode, so I donÆt really want to compare it to many others. It just wouldnÆt be fair. In all honesty, I feel that it works pretty well. This is a solid Arnold/Gerald outing, but it introduces a plethora of staples for the show. The episode doesnÆt drag in any places. Certainly, there are much better outings for Arnold and Gerald, but IÆd like to cut them some slack since this is the first. The show is still in the process of finding its legs. Both the script and the voice work do a terrific job of telling us who these characters are. We learn quite a bit about Arnold, Gerald, and Helga in the space of just over eleven minutes. ThatÆs pretty impressive in my book. Interestingly enough, we donÆt meet ArnoldÆs grandparents, but I suppose thereÆs only so much you can do in eleven minutes, and the staff wanted to introduce the three most important characters fully. If I were to compare this episode against the whole series, it wouldnÆt perform as well, but IÆm going to tilt it in the interest of fairness. Concept & Execution Scoreù8.0 Heart & Soul: The episode fairs noticeably worse here. This isnÆt a bad episode, but it doesnÆt really make us care too much about the characters. Arnold and Gerald come off as fun, yes, but IÆm certainly not left with a feeling of emotional investment. Ditto for Helga. Most of her tears seem forced, and our first impression of her doesnÆt leave us with the feeling of someone we should be sorry for. And if we view it as the first episode, weÆve got nothing to go on as to why she would lapse into occasional reveries about being in love with Arnold. It makes Helga interesting, but again, I donÆt exactly feel an emotional bond with her. Fortunately, IÆll come to think of these characters as my own children over time, so itÆs not a total loss. Heart & Soul Scoreù4.5 Tilt: I like this episode. ThereÆs nothing that stands out, it certainly isnÆt one that I spend a lot of time remembering, but while watching it, I do find it entertaining. It isnÆt a bad episode, it just isnÆt a great episode either. But as a premiere, things could have been considerably worse. I donÆt want to see the episode dragged through the mud to much, so IÆm going to give it a fair tilt. Tilt Value: 7.0 Overall Score: 6.5 (6.25) And there it is, my first official review of an HA episode. I hope that you found it enjoyable. If people like these, IÆll do more. IÆm giving strong consideration to tackling ôEugeneÆs Bikeö tomorrow. WeÆll see how it goes. Till next time, Lord Malachite ôI ask you, Edmund, if there is any sight more endearing in this world than a boy taking his dog for a walk?ö --Wolfgang, referring to Arnold and Helga, from ôCeremony Of Innocenceö : ---- Mokichan_8000, 31/01/2006 11:32 AM :I liked it. That was a very, very, VERY thorough analysis of the first episode. My only crticism is that you should probably reduce the length of the synopsis to about one or two paragraphs, tops. Are you planning on doing this for the entire series? : ---- Lord_Malachite, 31/01/2006 2:21 PM :*sneaking onto the internet at work because he's given his notice that Thursday is his last day and he doesn't care* :Yeah, I plan to do more of these, provided people actually read them and they spark some discussion. The reason the synopsis is so long is because I wanted to dig into the details, not just give a stock description of the plot. The devil is always in the details, and as I just illustrated, all sorts of stuff comes out when you look closer. Especially on episodes like this. We're talking hand drawn animation. Some thought had to go into every frame, since this wasn't all rendered through a computer. And these little tidbits, in the video and in the script, are worth examining. My hope is that this will spark a lot of discussion, as I'm attempting to shed light on things we might not have seen before and to look at the episode from all angles. So please, ponder away! :ôI ask you, Edmund, if there is any sight more endearing in this world than a boy taking his dog for a walk?ö --Wolfgang, referring to Arnold and Helga, from ôCeremony Of Innocenceö : ---- Cool, 31/01/2006 10:18 PM :IÆve decided to do something that I havenÆt done in a very long time. Reviews! IÆm getting things started by reviewing the very first episode in depth. IÆm actually watching this thing a little bit at a time and then typing out my observations :That's what I started in 2002 - I still "owe" the name 'Hey Arnold Guide', so don't take it! :) Anyway, now that I'm getting episodes on my computer I can start where I left off in summer 2004. Whooo! Now all I need is actual TIME to do this stuff! Why does my boss like me so much, he never cuts my hours ! ^_~ :Obviously, this is a new thing for me, but IÆm really hoping that this will generate some buzz and excitement. Let me know what you guys and gals think! Without further ado, letÆs get this party started! I didn't go as in-depth as you have gone in my reviews of shows, I only made points and small notes. :ThereÆs a much more negative connotation to that statement, but for the sake of political correctness, letÆs just take them literally, shall we? Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-... :Arnold goes through a bit of a morality struggle and actually gives into his inner devil! Apparently his fear of humiliation and dislike of Helga outweigh his desire to do the right thing. Enjoy that victory, Arnold. You wonÆt have many of them. :Yes, ashame he never had more victories. Damn, I love the way that's worded. :Lusty is an awfully risqué word for a nine year old, and IÆm pretty surprised that Nickelodeon even let it into the script, but itÆs there. I really donÆt want to know what Helga feels is so ôlustyö about meat :LMAO in my chair was I read that. Ha-ha! :Arnold and Gerald immediately proceed to have a good time, hitting a 24 hour clothing shop and changing into some cool outfits. They deposit their fruit costumes into a dumpster and grab some dinner from a Slovaki stand. :Notice how everything in Hillwood seems to be open 24 hours? Do people sleep in this town? :instructs someone named ôFatmanö to rack another table :I thought he was reffering to Gerald. Did you see how his lips didn't move when he said that line? Alot of that happens in the first season episodes. :So yeah - this is PRETTY long. That's what sucks about HA! and doing episode by episode projects for the show - there's 178 damn episodes! Doing something like this for EACH episode would be an insane task! We are talking years of work, but hey - I don't know how much free time you have. I may even create a page for these observations. How did you come up with your score chart and final numbers? :*sneaking onto the internet at work because he's given his notice that Thursday is his last day and he doesn't care* :Didn't you just get this job? :My hope is that this will spark a lot of discussion, as I'm attempting to shed light on things we might not have seen before and to look at the episode from all angles. So please, ponder away! :When I re-open the site down the road, I'll be highlighting certian things on the site - and this thread will be one of them if you go on with it. Trying to make a firm discussion while HA! is dead everywhere else will be tough. We do have regulars here, but maybe not enough. I dunno. Alot of the original fans have grown up and out of the series. When the HA! Forum got hacked and died in August 2005, I think alot of people said "well, that's that". Only a small percentage of people from there knew this place and flocked over here to attend the still active message baords. Trying to communicate when the lines of communication are down will be hard - I hope you spark something up large here! :If I didn't go deeper into this reply, sorry. It's almost 10:30pm after a long 9-hour day of car detailing, and I'm and currenty working on (yes, I finally am) my new cartoon website for Kid Paddle. Hopefully it will be up before the half-way point of 2006. From then on, its this site all the way! Oh yeah! :Stephen : ---- Cool, 31/01/2006 10:25 PM :By the way - so as not me make so many threads and sort of purge the message baord of older entrees, perhaps it is best to make all of these reviews in one thread, and label it as something like "Lord Malachite's HA! Episode Reviews". Then your first line in your message, since you always see the first couple lines in the previews of the newest messages, would be like "This week:" or "This post: Eugene's Bike", etc, etc, etc. :That would be 178 new threads in total, and I just wanna keep the board here as "clean and organzied" and possible. Maybe divide it up by seasons? "Lord Malachite's HA! Episode Reviews - Season 1" :-Stephen: my 6th? post tonight thus far, January 31st. It's not spamming, I swear! :0 : ---- Lord_Malachite, 01/02/2006 12:34 PM :I actually typed up a huge review of "Helga's Boyfriend" last night--then I forgot to post it. I've moved to a more random system of reviewing. I've put all of the episode numbers (based on half hours) into a random number generator, and then I flip a coin to see which of the two episodes (unless it's a full length) gets done. I will try to have this new review posted within the next 24 hours. I've also decided that I'll probably group them into Seasons to make them easier to find. I'll start a Season Two review thread when I post the review for "Helga's Boyfriend." : ---- 39packard, 01/02/2006 2:45 PM :Fantastic review. It is long, but still ok with me. It's not as if all the details of the episode are discussed thoroughly, they were already selected. :If you watch this episode in isolation, Helga is either an overachiever with OCD or a manic-obsessive person. Well, later in the series, we learn she is good in poetry and math but it's Phoebe that takes the overachiever role. So throughout the series, Helga's manic-obsessive side (especially with her love for Arnold) is the one developed. :I would have given it a higher heart and soul score. Yes, it is flat in terms of evoking audience sympathy. But the absurdity of Helga working her ass off to make a cheesy play is so funny and entertaining. I don't feel sympathy for her, but I can't help but laugh at the situation. Helga's character (heart and soul) is believable enough for me to find her situation laughable. And we do catch a glimpse into Helga's manic-obsessiveness, which is a crucial part of her character. : ---- Lord_Malachite, 01/02/2006 4:23 PM :I think Helga just comes off as someone who has issues. But then, that's pretty obvious even if you observe her from afar. She's kind of caught up in her own little world where everything is perfect and Arnold worships her. One could argue that her usual aloof nature and tendency to boss people around are direct results of he repeated inability to turn her fantasies into reality. :Helga is definitely obsessive and compulsive, but I don't know if it qualifies as clinical OCD, seeing as she doesn't have to do things like run home and make sure the oven is off, or brush her teeth twelve times a day. But she is obsessive about Arnold, no question there. And this obsession causes her to do downright compulsive things. But what I feel is most telling about Helga's character as the series progresses is her devotion and her brilliance. She is smart and talented enough to become anything she wants. But yet the only thing that really matters to her is becoming Arnold's bride. It's not that I would say Helga wants to be a housewife, just that she doesn't want the things that life offers her if it means sacrificing Arnold. Of course, she's also someone who won't step outside her safety zone with her feelings. Yes, Helga loves Arnold. And she will do things to try and get him to feel the same way about her. She will never make the first move in their relationship. She wants to be approached, she wants to be desired. Of course, it's very rare that Helga even shows up on Arnold's radar as a girl. She isn't the kind of girl he's into, and she hangs out with the boys all the time, so he just doesn't see her as she wants him to. :I suppose that some of the things done with Helga in "Downtown As Fruits" are humorous, but they just don't invoke any emotion in me. I've felt sorry for Helga plenty of times, but this just isn't one of them. Still, like I said, this doesn't make it a bad episode. It just isn't one that jumps to mind when someone says "Name your favorite HA episode!" : ---- Manolo, 08/02/2006 11:26 PM :I have some observations about your analisys: :1. "IÆll forever wonder why they couldnÆt just change into their outfits after getting to the school, but itÆs kind of a moot point now." :Obviously a plot point. Maybe the outfits required and adult to be put into a unsuspecting boy, but then, why A Arnold's and Gerald's families let those two go alone to the school play? :2."As the boys move off, some even shadier characters in identical costumes show up, thus setting up a sub-plot" These Shady characters are Vic and Morrie, in her first glorious apparition. They are pokar "friends" of Oskar, cents conterfetting men, and car repairmen! :3. "ItÆs easy to see why she hates him, since heÆs mucking up her play. But weÆre left with no real reason why she loves him. Apparently, she just does." :This observation reminds me about the strip Charlie Brown is wondering why Marcy loves her, and Sally told him "You ask a person why he hates you, not why he loves you". Love is unquestionable! :4.- "Another staple shows up as Brainy is seen to be eavesdropping behind Helga, and she socks him. I wonder how Brainy got out of having to wear a costume?" :I suposse Brainy doesn't have costume maybe because he is the "crew guy", the guy that lowers the curtain. gets the props, etc. Maybe this is due he can't talk more than three sillabyes without wheezing (as stated by Craig Bartlett). He played a part in the thanksgiving day play (as an indian) and in "Romeo and Juliet" (he was wearing a custome, even if I don't know how he could deliver her dialogue, if he has any). :But in "What's opera" Helga dreams a dream where all her classmates are "acting" in her dream, Brainy again is part of the "crew". I think this is overanalyzing something so simple and fun like a cartoon, but maybe means that Helga believes she can manipulate anyone she meets, she can make everyone into "playing her play", except Brainy. Brainy is the only one in all the HA! series who Helga cannot manipulate or decieve enterely. He is the one she can't control, he is his own man, he always come back, again and again, despite Helga's best efforts to keep him away. :5. "They duck into an alley and hide inside of Zamboni Jones Psychic Palace" :The great Zamboni will be replaced with Madame Blanche as the resident Psychic. A shame, but after all, he works downtown! I guess it's really far from PS 118. :6. "Helga is sobbing about how her play is ruined and that her future as a playwright is over. Maybe itÆs a good thing, we all know her real talent lies in poetry, anyway." :I dissagree with you! Helga is a dramaturge, poet, actress, writer, sportwoman (practices soccer, baseball, biking, skating, football and is a bowling champion), she scored the better grades since Olga Pataki!, and she still have time to bully all her classmates! A truly renascentist girl! : 7. "HelgaÆs tears produce tears from Phoebe as well. ThatÆs pretty pathetic. Phoebe was always HelgaÆs best friend and somewhat of a lackey, but she is still usually her own person. Phoebe doesnÆt even speak in this episode, though. IÆll cut her some slack on the count of itÆs the first episode. PhoebeÆs tears seem to invoke something in Helga, she snaps out of her reverie and steps out onto the stage with grim determination." :Strange, but this always ring true to me. It's like Helga acknowledges that she isn't too good at feeling, and that Phoebe must do the crying fo her. Helga cannot deal with her feelings, and then, chooses don't feel anything. : 8. "Brainy lowers the curtain and Helga gets a bouquet of flowers in her face." :You ommited that Brainy lowers the curtain over Helga! :And this bring me to your comment about that this episode doesn't make you "feel" about Helga. :Let's see: The series is not about a tragic girl who will never get the boy! The series is about a silly girl who could have got the boy years ago, but she couldnt, just because she never knew how! I agree with 39PACKARD's review: :"Yes, it is flat in terms of evoking audience sympathy. But the absurdity of Helga working her ass off to make a cheesy play is so funny and entertaining. I don't feel sympathy for her, but I can't help but laugh at the situation. Helga's character (heart and soul) is believable enough for me to find her situation laughable." :Hey Arnold is not about the cruelty or the torture we inflingy in ourselves, is about how the problems who we cannot solve, are easily solved for anyone else. Helga always gets the bad part of the stick, just because she is so mean and selfish, not realizing that the answer of her problems is so easy, so the curtain always lower over her and the bouquet of flowers always fall on her face. That is the destiny of all human beings who had everything in his favor, except, of course, herself. :Alberto Number6 Brainyfan : ---- Flank17, 02/03/2006 8:57 AM :Lord Malachite, you really should put your reviews on a site, may be a special site for it. It worth it and I'm sorry that I failed you.